Alternate Endings
by DeepShadows2
Summary: By DS and Horde... The adventures of Artimis and her new companion, after her life of being a Misfit... Her travels take her to places and times she never thought possible as they fix and observe the lines of time...NOT A PART OF THE MISFIT SERIES.. R
1. Ch 1 Pt 1 Dusk

**Alternate Endings  
****Chapter 1  
**_**From Dusk to a Different Dawn  
**__By: Deep Shadows & MotheroftheHorde_

_**Part 1 - Dusk **_

* * *

Blane was worried, she couldn't attack while holding the monster off, and she was getting tired. When it had first appeared she tried to lose it. No matter were she went it followed, leaving a path of destruction behind them. All straight foward attacks either bounced off its heavily armored body or were ignored. When it finally attacked her, she was resting in what she thought was a safe place. In the quick battle that followed, Blane realized her attacks were useless against it. She was sure it was a creation, and whoever or whatever had made this thing, it had been tailored to fight her, to work against her weaknesses and strengths. After a few futile exchange of blows, it had shattered one of her swords and knocked the other out of her hand. In an intense hand-to-claw battle, it was clear that her normal mode of thinking wasn't going to work; it was time to think outside the box. Flipping over the beast, using its own wing as leverage, she unfurled her own wings. As it reared back, she twisted her body around and managed to lock her legs around its belly, and entangling her wings in its wings, holding them back. One arm was wrapped around its neck, holding her body tight to its chest, while the other elbow was thrust under its chin to keep its jaws from biting her head off, thus putting her in the only relatively safe spot This worked because whoever had made this didn't think she would do something as stupid as hang on to it. Any magical, or energy attack it used on her affected it as well, so long as she stayed locked on its body. It obviously didn't like the taste of its own medicine. Unfortunately for her, it wasn't harmed by its own attacks as mush as she was. The legs couldn't do more than superficial damage to her back, but she was still losing blood. That was bad because she was tiring quickly. The construct was immensely strong, but luckily it was impatient for the kill; so instead of waiting her out, it tried its hardest to smash through things such as walls, trees, mountains, trying to wipe her off like the burr she was. Under its chin right about where her head was tucked there was a spot about one inch square big without armor. She still had her knife, but couldn't get to it and couldn't change her grip without being killed and she knew it, and it knew it as well. "help." The quiet gasp was all she had air for. The creature began to thrash and twist in an attempt to dislodge her. Blane held on, twisting them 'sidewhens and sideweres' when they hit things, trying to lessen the damage she was taking.

After one such twist, they smashed through a wall, over the sound of the creature slamming her against the floor, she could hear that a Voice called out "STOP". The creature froze as icy shadows flowed over them both. In that frozen minute, Blane extended her personal time. The creature was pulled into her extended time, but it couldn't move against the darkness as she could, so it could only watch in fear as she slowly killed it, or so she hoped. It took four hours to force her hand against the clingy darkness holding her to get to her hand on her knife, all that time it felt as if the flesh was being stripped off her bones. Whatever this power effecting the construct was, it was enough to give her a shred of hope for survival. All the while as she struggled against the outside force she prayed the creature would not break free of it as she had. Four more hours were used to push the knife less than 3 feet, sweating and gasping with the effort. Forty-five minutes more to slowly thrust her knife up into the soft spot under its chin. Another hour of twisting the knife into its throat as its scalding blood burned like acid on her own wounds. She kept pushing until it shuddered and went limp in the shadowy darkness' embrace.

Slowing herself back down to normal time, she pulled herself away from the now dead construct; its death throws were now long past. The icy blackness faded away as she struggled to stand straight up, unwilling to face a power that could create a force like that darkness on her knees. Slowly, her surroundings came into focus. It was a large, well appointed room with a large bed as the centerpiece. Piercing blue eyes with wisps of darkness fading out of them caught her attention from the being in the bed. Power, yes, but with no intent of harm. Not exactly safe, but not in immediate danger, it was enough. Pulling her wings in tight and succumbing to exhaustion, she fell to the floor, blood oozing from her multiple wounds.

----------------------

It was a comfortable afternoon, just right for a nap. Artimis was propped up in her bed, leaning her head back against the plush pillows; her long silver hair splayed around her. Her nurse, Melody, granddaughter of her dear friend Hailey, had just left to go chase after her small one who had come crying into the room. Her wrists were aching, that would mean there would be another rainstorm. She ignored it and was just about to go from dozing to a much deeper sleep when there was a loud crash in her room. Old auror reflexes kicked in as she looked up quickly, thinking it was the deatheaters coming for her. What she saw made her think that maybe Mel had given her just a little to much medicine to help her sleep.

There was a large beast, wings and all, in her bedroom and it seemed to be fighting with a woman with wings. The woman was bloody and seemed to only be barely holding on to what ever it was she was fighting. Pulling her energy to her, she reached out with her shadows and spoke with all the grand motherly dominance she had in her. "Stop."

Now that action would have stopped a many a people in their tracks, seeing as she could hold them still with a mere act of will, but this woman took that particular second in time to move about a bit, drawing a dagger and lodging it in the throat of the massive creature she was wrapped around. Now she knew she was seeing things. No one had ever kept moving once she wanted them to stop, except her partner-in-crime and dearly departed sister, Alexis. Artimis sat up straight in her bed, looking at the black-skinned woman now panting as she straightened to a full height, which was slightly above her father's height. To Artimis, there was a sense of something dark to her, not entirely evil, just dark. The woman looked around the room with intent to find out where she was. She looked at Artimis and Artimis knew that look on her face as she tucked her wings in and collapsed to the floor.

"MEL!" Artimis yelled, knowing better than to try herself to get out of bed. What she didn't realize is all the noise had the whole family coming up in arms to her room with the intent to 'protect grandma'. They all stopped in their tracks at the large slain monster at the foot of their grandmothers bed and the what looked to be dead black woman.

"Melody, quickly, get her on the sofa and get her some healing." Artimis ordered, pointing a pale wrinkled finger at the woman on the floor.

"Andrina, help her move her. Zander you too." Artimis spoke to her grandchildren, seeing to the fact that the woman got some healing.

Artimis had known that look, it was the look of "I'm bloody, im sore and all I want is some sleep." It reminded Artimis of what she looked like as a young adult and she had seen that look in the mirror many times.

She couldn't quite get out of bed to see what was going on so she nagged her grandchildren constantly.

"Is she breathing? Why don't you put a bandage on that? You know, if you clean the wound first it doesn't get infected. Yes, I know you went to three years of medi-wizardry, but im older and you have to listen to me."

Her grandchildren just nodded as they went about doing it THEIR way, which made her bug them more. After they were done Artimis decided she had done enough for one interval of conscieness and laid her head back down for a light nap. Artimis had demanded that they not move the woman from the room; not wanting to leave their 'feeble' grandmother alone with a strange person and a smoking disintegrating mass of monster, Melody was sitting on the other side of the room in Artimis's rocking chair, wand in hand. Artimis had heard them whispering on whether or not they should drug her and remove the woman for interrogation, but one stern grandma look had cured those thoughts.

It was half an hour later, when there was movement from the sofa. Artimis heard the quickened breath as her company awoke and Artimis snapped her eyes open as the woman snapped into a defensive position, trying assess if she was in danger. What Artimis forgot about was that Mel was a little trigger happy. The young brunette stood and threw a Full Body Hold spell at the woman as her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she fell over, the spell missing her by a foot.

"Melody, darling, she's a fighter, that was defense, not offense, she was going into." Artimis spoke, quietly explaining to her thirty-four year old great granddaughter like she was a small child. She did it because she knew it made them mad.

"Are you alright there, dear?" Artimis asked, turning to the woman collapsed on the floor. She looked as if she was trying to watch both Artimis and her granddaughter, though she was more focused on Mel.

"It's alright, She was just worried you were going to hurt me." Artimis spoke softly to the woman who seemed more focused on her. Getting to her feet gingerly, the woman smiled at her.

"Hi there, I'm Blane. Sorry, I seem to be bleeding on your floor." The tall, now named, women's voice though a bit raw, was rich, melodious, the voice of a trained speaker. Artimis chuckled at the obvious attempt to lighten the mood.

"That's quite alright, dear, the rug already got up and moved himself away from the blood and gore." She stated, gesturing to the tiger skin that was hunched like a live tiger in the corner, glaring at the carcass steaming in the center of the room. Blane looked slightly startled as Artimis mentioned this, trying her best to split her eyes into four so she could watch Artimis, Mel, the rug and the carcass. Artimis had no doubts now, that the woman before her was a fighter of some sort.

"My granddaughter had no intention of hurting you, nor do I. And I assure you this house is quite safe, so you can relax. My granddaughter will go get you some fresh bandages." Artimis spoke, gesturing for Mel to leave the room.

"But Grandma Artimis!" Mel protested and Artimis fixed a shadowed gaze upon her.

"Melody Anita Billord, you will do as you were asked. Get our guest some fresh bandages." Artimis stated sternly and Mel, walked out of the room warily, watching the strange woman out of the corner of her eye.

Blane spoke up quietly, raising her hand in the air. "May I have some food too?" By that time Mel had already left so Artimis clapped twice, summoning her house elf to her.

The small creature looked up at her with a smile.

"Yes Mistress Artimis?" Tabby asked and Artimis smiled.

"I have a hungry guest, could you please bring up something from the kitchens for her. She looks like she might have an appetite like Mistress Alexis did, so make sure you bring some well cooked meat." Artimis spoke and with a snap of the small elf's fingers, she was gone.

"Don't mind me for being rude, it comes with being old, but where are your wings?" Artimis asked turning her attention to her guest. Blane looked at her in the eyes with a sense of 'I have no idea what you are talking about' and stated questioningly. "Wings?"

Artimis nodded in understanding, it was not something this stranger felt comfortable mentioning, so therefore Artimis would drop the subject.

"What was that thing?" Artimis asked, looking at the floor where not much was left but about three inches of a dagger hilt and black shadowy stain in the floor.

"A hunter." Was her reply and Artimis nodded thoughtfully. She didn't know how this came to her bedroom, but it must have been fate toying with things again.

"Okay, well, that explains one thing, another would be how it was that you, and your hunter, ended up in my bedroom? Not that it matters so much how, I haven't had that much excitement since someone let the dogs in my room."

The tiger skin rug growled at that comment.

"I needed help, I guess this is where I could get it." The woman spoke and Artimis smirked.

"This family has been long known for helping, so I guess you were just meant to come here. But where are my manners, you are allowed to sit. It's not like I'm royalty, though I like to make my family think so." Artimis spoke and the response she received was a honorable thanks in the form of a bow. Then Blane gently flopped onto the sofa, looking more relaxed.

Artimis was about comment on pretending to be senile as her granddaughter Mel walked in with more bandages, along with her actual blood grandson Andrew and their cousin Markus, both of whom were built like brick-shit houses. Shaking her head, Artimis noticed how Blane's position suddenly and almost without notice shifted to a polite one. She didn't tense for a fight, but she seemed to understand that her grandchildren were overprotective.

"Mel, when I want an army, I'll call your father. Thank you dear. Now please, help Blane with the bandages." Artimis spoke and as Melody began to walk past the spot on the floor where the monster had been and it suddenly ignited. Mel shuddered as she dodged the flames, her cousins looking worried at the floor.

There was a yell from the room downstairs. "I didn't do it! I wasn't touching Grandma's desk, really.. I'm not even here!" One of the younger grandchildren called and Artimis laughed loudly, as she looked to where Blane had been, only to find her on the other side of the room. She looked prepared for some demon to pop out of the floor or something. She had split most of her soaked bandages and was bleeding once again on the floor. The rug she was standing next too didn't seem to happy about this. He was trying to become one with the wall and she could swear she heard the 'don't give me a bath' whimpering.

"Sorry Blane, the house had to get rid of it somehow and she figured fire would burn it out. Ah look, here's the food." Artimis stated as Tabby and Raphael appeared carrying two trays of food each. Ignoring the burning floor, after all they were the house's personal army and knew it was going to happen any ways, they set the food down on the coffee table in front of the fireplace. Artimis looked at Blane as she gave her a look that asked her permission to have some of the food and Artimis smiled, nodding at her as she looked over to her grandchildren.

"Actually Mel, why don't we let her eat, you and your cousins can leave the bandages on the chair and if I need you I will call FOR you." Artimis spoke, conveying the message of 'get lost or else'. Her two grandsons, who had it instilled early that you don't mess with grandmother were out of there before Mel could protest. They had touched her desk once before and the memory never quite left them. Mel went to leave the room, but froze and Artimis followed her gaze as she saw what she could only think of as a blur moving around the table. Artimis has minor tingles on her skin and she could see that Mel was poised with her hand over her wand pocket. Before Artimis could even think of what was going on, Blane was standing there, tatters of bandages and clothes, covered in what Artimis could identify as old dried blood, looking better than she had a second before.

_Did that just?... Time-turner?... No, I would have seen it and the feeling from that and the feeling from this is entirely different... Oh boy, the smell is curling my nose hairs, I forgot I had nose hairs... Is the smell coming from the the... trash can... oh boy, what am I in the room with..._ Artimis, calming her old nerves, then noticed that ALL the food was gone. Mel looked traumatized and Artimis reminded her that she was asked to leave. That was all the goading Mel needed to flee, slamming the door closed. Artimis could here her panting on the other side of the door.

Shaking her head she looked at her guest with a sort of wonder. "How may I ask, did you do that, or is that yet another 'What?' item of discussion?" Artimis questioned softly, trying to make it seem like she wasn't slightly unnerved.

Blane simply pointed at the trash can, her voice rich with humor "It's been a week."

Being an old woman who spent some time in St. Mungo's she knew what that meant. The thought made her cringe a bit as she drew her wand, simply moving the mess from in here to the compost heap in the garden.

"The restroom is the door to my left, just in case you need it. Not to be rude, after all I am senile, but would you like to take a shower, or a bath?" Artimis spoke with her own hint of amusement. Her reply was a look of extreme gratitude. Artimis took a moment to size her up and then clapped once more. This time it was Anth who answered her calling.

"Do you need more food Mistress?" He asked and Artimis shook her head, then looking at Blane she noticed the puppy dog eyes coming from her. Artimis smirked.

"Yes, but not right at this moment. Could bring me some of Jonathan's clothes, he's almost as tall as her and similarity built. And I think I need a new trash can." She spoke and he nodded, disappearing in a flash.

"You don't have to wait for permission to go take a shower, by all means do so. And there should be fresh clothes on the counter when you get out." Artimis spoke, smiling as she adjusted for another nap, after all being an annoyance to her family was a lot of hard work and playing hostess at the same time was even more so. Blane walked into the bathroom and Artimis dozed, keeping an ear out for her untrusting grandchildren. _It's all Draco's fault..._ She thought, realizing that he couldn't trust a coin unless he bit it.

About an hour later Artimis was roused from her light nap by the sound of the bathroom door opening. She looked up to see Blane dressed in her Grandson's pants which were about five inches to short of her and a long shirt that would have come to her Grandson's knees but it came to her hips. Artimis smiled at her, seeing that Blane looked relaxed, refreshed, and there were no signs of her recent wounds.

"Feeling better I see. Sorry had to say it, reminds me of old westerns." Artimis mused settling in a upright position. Blane stood straight at the foot of her bed, looking very proper and for the first time she was seriously looking at Artimis. She had pupil-less amber eyes, almost the reverse of Remus's eyes who had huge pupils and barely any amber. It was calming and unsettling at the same time, and it definitely fit into the way Artimis could see her being. After all she had seen wings, and senile or not, she knew what she saw and she knew she was seeing horns now. She wasn't quite sure what she was sitting in the room with, but at this moment she really didn't care, after all, she had been kind, so she knew Blane wasn't about to hurt her. Artimis listened closely as Blane spoke, because, well, obviously she had something important to say. _And if it's 'Luke I am your father im going to scream'..._

"I am not a Djinn, but what do you truly want?" She spoke and Artimis let out an involuntary snicker due to her previous thought. Artimis thought for a long moment, knowing of course that this was one of those moment she was supposed to look like she was thinking to seem wise. Artimis had almost everything she needed right here, but she hadn't thought of what she wanted in a long time. Deep down, she knew the answer, but she couldn't quite find the words for it. With a warm rush, the hidden desire flooded into the front of her mind.

"As much as I seem strong, I know I am not going to be here forever. If there was one thing I could say I truly want, it would be to protect my family. They are, after all, the biggest part of what I will leave behind... Man, that sounded so wise and clever." Artimis mused aloud to herself.

Blane didn't seem to phased by her ending statement, just simply answering "That, I can do."

Artimis watched as Blane bowed her head over folded hands and a shimmer of what Artimis could only tell was magic moved over her and her clothing. Magic rippled and the shirt shifted to let her large black wings unfold and stretch to almost touch the wall on both sides of the room. Her wings folding around her, to look like a normal wizard cloak, as the borrowed clothing continued to change becoming a pair of black pants, a white button-up shirt. A hat appeared on her head and her hair moved up into it, hiding the horns and the black curly part of her hair, the straight shoulder length white hair hanging free behind her ears, the pointed tips of which were tucked under the hat. Artimis had a flicker recognition at that moment, feeling as if she had seen someone like that before and as she was about to say something. Then Blane interrupting her train of thought, lifting her head to look her directly, power glowing in the depths of the eyes. Again she spoke, the power of her voice flowed, as if music filling the room."My life to you I do owe, of this debt I will gladly pay. By this act, I now do, my debt to you will be repaid in full. But know, I cannot give them protection from all of life's pains, to do so would take their will to strive, that I **will not** do. Understand now, the protection I am willing to give to those you love, will not stop their deaths. It **will** help them find away to protect themselves. Is this still what you truly want?"

Artimis didn't even hesitate, "Yes," Blane smiled slightly as she turned towards the door, and began to walk fading out of sight before she took more than five steps.

At that moment her Grandson Markus walked in, looking around for the woman. When he didn't see her, he looked at his grandmother with a sense of regard.

"Did she touch your desk too Grandma?" He asked with a sense of fear, which was amusing from a twenty-two year old.

"No honey, she just had to leave." Artimis spoke, not being able to knock away the feeling of deja vu.

----------------------------

_Blane's pov_

She woke up with a start, sliding off what ever she was lying on to stand on her feet quickly. Her body automatically moved into a defensive stance. Her body, which was not quite ready for this sudden movement, collapsed. _'Oh, look at the pretty colors.'_ She thought as she fell to the floor. There was the sound/feeling of magic passing near her and was powerful enough to leave goose bumps. As she laid on the floor, assessing the damage, part of her was listing to sound of someone speaking in a language she couldn't understand yet.. '_No broken bones, I'm wrapped in bandages, and someone has tried to heal me_'

The soft afterglow of healing magic prickled on her skin.'_Massive headache, I'm starving and I need to go the jakes, now.'_ The voice in the room began to make sense as her muddled brain finally began to translate the language.

"Fkdogldf. Thgfht dear?' Blane was focusing on the killer intent coming from the far side of the room, where a figure stood holding a knobby piece of wood, as if it could do harm. Her attention was quickly snapped back to a figure in the large bed. _'This one is the power here... Need to pay attention..., ooh dear there's a glass of water... Focus, can't die of thirst even if you wished you could... What this being says may be life or death.'_

"It's alright, She was just worried you were going to hurt me." The voice was kind, old and felt female. _This **IS **the power here. The one in the corner is muscle . Probably magical..., can't concentrate enough to make ANY counter spells. I can probably speak the language now. What do I know? This old woman is a powerful person, has bodyguards, magical defenses, possibly physical body guards somewhere. Just be myself, to tired to play a part. _Slowly standing up, one to keep from instigating an attack, and two because, any faster movement and she'd fall over again.

Using what she called 'Polite and respectful voice #2' she spoke. "Hi there, I'm Blane. Sorry, I seem to be bleeding on your floor."

The woman on the bed chucked, it was a warm sound, with a bit of an edge. _This one has killed before and is quite willing to do so again if threatened._

"That's quite alright, dear, the rug already got up and moved himself away from the blood and gore." She stated, gesturing to the tiger skin that was hunched like a live tiger in the corner.

_Oh by Hector, I didn't see it move. _A quick glance around the room spotted what looked like a rug, but she could see a weird shadow of a live beast around it._ WHAT is that? Oh By the god of my mother, is it living, dead or a bound sprit. _She sent her eyes on another sweep of the room_ The construct is breaking_ _up. There may be residue left, hope there isn't an other one capable of tracking that stuff._

"My granddaughter had no intention of hurting you, nor do I. And I assure you this house is quite safe, so you can relax. My granddaughter will go get you some fresh bandages." The powerful old woman spoke, gesturing for the younger girl to leave the room.

_This women in very sure of herself if she is willing to be unprotected, hmmm maybe there is some less obvious protection. My headache is getting a worse._

"But Grandma Artimis!"The young wielder of magic almost whined

"Melody Anita Billord, you will do as you were asked. Get our guest some fresh bandages."

_AHH grandmother, that explains the respect .Her shadows, I can sense they're alive and separate from her, there is much anger, sadness, fear, and loneliness. Oh wait wait wait, maybe I can get some food. No wait, polite voice. No begging._

Speaking quietly and slowly raising her hand in the air politely. "May I have some food too?"

By that time the granddaughter had already left._ '$&!'.._ Blane cursed internally in several languages probably not even recorded in this world Turning to ask once more and at that moment the now named 'Grandma Artimis' clapped twice. A crack of light flashed beside the bed and what she recognized only as a small elf appeared there. _Elf? What is an elf doing here? Lords of light, what are they?_ The elf looked at her and she could read on its face that it knew what she was and didn't wish to speak at this moment, but didn't seem offended by the idea. Then it instantly turned to the woman in the bed, asking quietly.

"Yes Mistress Artimis?" The woman smiled tenderly at the elf and spoke softly.

"I have a hungry guest, could you please bring up something from the kitchens for her. She looks like she might have an appetite like Mistress Alexis did, so make sure you bring some well cooked meat."

_Thank you, oh thank you._

"Don't mind me for being rude, it comes with being old, but where are your wings?" _Oh dear, she'll know if I lie and I can't risk the truth. Maybe she'll forget._ Blane looked at her as blankly as possible, masking the fact that she knew what the woman was asking her.

"Wings?" With false puzzlement . The old woman nodded at her, a hint of understanding in her eyes and Blane knew she wasn't going to ask again. But that didn't mean she was done with asking, as she proved with her next question.

"What was that thing?" She asked, looking to the spot on the floor. _Part truth, but the truth._ She thought quickly."A hunter."

The woman seemed thoughtful for a moment and then spoke once more.

"Okay, well, that explains one thing, another would be how it was that you, and your hunter, ended up in my bedroom? Not that it matters so much how, I haven't had that much excitement since someone let the dogs in my room."

_How do I explain something I don't know for sure myself_. Blane heard a growl from the direction of the rug and her attention was draw there. _Why is it growling?... Why did I show up here?...Do I owe her a favor?... Does someone else owe her a favor?... I owe her now..._

"I needed help, I guess this is where I could get it." Blane stated and the matronly woman smirked almost knowingly.

"This family has been long known for helping, so I guess you were just meant to come here. But where are my manners, you are allowed to sit. It's not like I'm royalty, though I like to make my family think so." _Oh so honorable person thank you, for I'm about to collapse on your floor again_...She bowed and carefully sat down on the couch, relaxing slightly.

The granddaughter, Mel walked in with more bandages, along with two well muscles young men. All three glanced at the bed with worried expressions, before quickly scanning the room . Their eyes snapped to her with equal expressions of 'You Shall Not Do Anything To Disturb Our Grandmother'_. I now see some of the physical defenses, magical too, There is magic but there is so much of it around its so hard to 'see' things clearly. Jakes, where are the jakes, I don't want to think what those small well cut giants would do if I used the corner. And that damned glass of water is driving me crazy. _

"Mel, when I want an army, I'll call your father. Thank you dear. Now please, help Blane with the bandages." _Army? She can command an Army? Oh look, bandages. Food? Water? JAKES_!

At that moment, the residue of the former monster ignited without warning. Eyes widening as she could see a flaming visage of the creature move toward her, using the energy from the fire to manifest itself in order to continue its mission. Blane acted on an instinct, speeding up her personal time, making the whole room and its occupants seemingly freeze in their places. The construct being linked to Blane, sped up also. This is why she couldn't get away from the beast before. One fiery claw reached toward Blane and the other was stretching toward the woman in the bed. Blane, realizing that its energy was based on fire, dove under the approaching fire and rolled to her feet, snatching the glass of water off the bedside table. It was the one that she had been lamenting about before, and splashed it on the claw that was just about to hit the old lady. The water disrupted its energy. It twisted and pulsed, trying to hold itself together, and as a last act it swiped at her as she dove across the room as far away from the others as possible. The beast's last act was to cut through the bandages on her back, leaving burnt and bloody wounds, before dissipating into nothing. Slowed down while rolling to her feet, she could just understand the voice calling from the hole in the floor.

"IIIIIIIII ddddddiiiiddddddnnnnnn'tttttt dddo it! I wasn't touching Grandma's desk, really.. I'm not even here!" A child-like voice yelled as Blane stood panting, sweating and watching the black specks of unconscieness swirl around her vision.

Artimis, after laughing at the child, turned and her smile changed to a concerned face as she spoke.

"Sorry Blane, the house had to get rid of it somehow and she figured fire would burn it out. Ah look, here's the food." Food, the word cut through everything. Looking past the black spots in her vision, to tired to form words, Blane looked to Artimis with the look that could only mean one thing, 'Please?'. Her reply was once again an all knowing smile and a granting nod as she turned away toward the others in this room.

_Food.._, Again increasing her personal time, if something more was to come after her, it or they would hopefully focus on her and leave the others alone. She stumbled to the coffee table; moving around the statue-like inhabitants of the room as carefully as she could, while making a bee line to the small pitcher of water that had come with the food. Lots of self-control went into just taking a few sips of water and eating a few bites of food, knowing all to well the dangers of eating too much after starving. She looked about the room, truly seeing it for the first time.

_Now for something that could be used as a jake_. _Vase? No, um, Box? No, this looks like a trash can, good enough... Better to ask for forgiveness that for permission._..

Eating and drinking a little more, _Luckily there is enough free roaming energy here that I don't have to worry about staying sped up like this for a while..._Then curling up in front of the small table, to fall instantly asleep. Spending a week of her time between eating, sleeping, healing and using the trash can before slowing to match the others. Only thirty seconds had passed for the other inhabitants of the room She felt healed, but she smelt terrible with all the dried blood caked upon her hair and skin. _Damn, I wasn't paying attention to their time. The young giants are out of the room._

Matching time with everyone else, she overheard 'Grandma Artimis' telling her granddaughter that she had been asked to leave. Looking at 'Mel' she could see that terror was etched in the young woman's face as she turned and fled from the room, slamming the door behind her.

Turning toward 'Grandma Artimis', expecting fear, but seeing only amusement and wonder.

"How may I ask, did you do that, or is that yet another 'What?' item of discussion?"The older woman questioned softly.

Relieved that she had not been greeted with the fear that she had expected she simply pointed at the trash can and with a hint of humor,"It's been a week."

The old woman's expression became one of someone familiar with bedpans and cringed as she drew a smooth black piece of wood from underneath her pillow, then pointing it at the trash can, made it disappear from sight and smell, leaving only Blane to foul the air.

"The restroom is the door to my left, just in case you need it. Not to be rude, after all I am senile, but would you like to take a shower, or a bath?" She spoke, looking Blane up and down once. _This is a truly noble person who will take in someone who she does not know in such confidence. Either she is more powerful than I thought or protected enough where she's not worried._

Artimis clapped once and another small elfling appeared.

_Elves again. I need to talk to them._

"Do you need more food Mistress?" The elf asked and 'Grandma Artimis' began to shake her head no, heisted, turned to look at her _Um, but, no begging. But please!_ and seemingly got the message, signified by a smirk.

"Yes, but not right at this moment. Could bring me some of Jonathan's clothes, he's almost as tall as her and similarity built. And I think I need a new trash can."

She looked to the floor, slightly embarrassed. The elf looked at Blane and he twitched his ears slightly telling her by body language that they would speak, but not right now and with that he disappeared.

"You don't have to wait for permission to go take a shower, by all means do so. And there should be fresh clothes on the counter when you get out." She followed the point of her hostess hand toward what she hoped were the jakes and went in.

Walking into the room, the first thing she saw was herself, and then she immediately scanned for the jakes.

_Ah, late twentieth century indoor human plumbing. Oh thank you porcelain goddess._ A few minutes of deep meditation and the complete appreciation of soft paper, Blane felt much better. It was then she actually looked around the bathroom. She saw herself in the mirror and she wasn't surprised to see her condition, but it was still shocking. Though her appearance was bad, her own smell was beginning to curl her own nose hairs. Looking about the room, there was a large half-filled pool, a tub set into the floor with a step to get into it, and a glass walled shower_. You don't get into soaking water dirty._ Blane remembered, having had it beaten into her head many times. Stepping to the shower, stripping of the rags of clothing and the tatters of bandages off, hissing as they stuck to sore spots._ The joys of warm water on demand. _After ten minutes of scrubbing, she heard someone enter the room. Stepping out without turning off the water, to meet whoever it was, she was not concerned about her nudity. She was met by a house elf, who was placing clothing on the counter-top. It turned to her with a smile and spoke.

"I'm Tabby, and you are extremely tall. You know, my uncle was tall once, but then he lost a leg and now he's called stubby." She rambled speedily. Blane stood listening and studying the being before her. She recognized that she was looking at some form of elf, while not a pure-bred herself, elf blood knew elf.

"You know, you look like you fell into a fireplace. Once, I almost fell in Mistress Alexis's flames and that was scary, I lost my best shoe that day."

"May I please have something to eat, if its not to much trouble?" Blane using bardic voice #4, a calming, quiet voice, and the elfling smiled.

"Food, of course. The kitchen started cooking and hasn't stopped since you got here." Shestated, snapping her fingers and two other elves appeared holding trays of food. They placed them on the counter and then disappeared.

"Do elves here have music or stories?" Blane asked, trying to assess more of how these elves got here and how they were different from other elves she had met in other times and places.

Tabby smiled at her and clapped.

"Of course we have stories. Elf singing isn't too good, we cant carry tunes very well, but we can write. Hold on." Tabby stated as she snapped her fingers and disappeared. Tabby returned in an instant, but in that time while she was gone, Blane stretched her time once more. She ate half of the food, sleep for six hours and took another shower and was flushing the jakes as she slowed back down to everyone else's speed. Tabby had arrived with a leather bound book that looked as if it had made friends with coffee cups or tea, it was hard to tell.

"Here you go. If you get water on it that's fine, it will dry itself. Enjoy your bath. And don't slip, that's what did in Master Malfoy." Tabby spoke and just before she left Blane stopped her

"Wait can I get more food, please." She asked and Tabby smirked.

"Not a problem. If you need more, just simply clap." She spoke as she snapped out of view and this three house elves appeared carrying trays. They set them on the counter and then left her be to the bathroom. At that point Blane extended her time out again. By stretching 45 minutes. to four days she was able to rest and heal. She spent the remainder of a week eating, showering, sleeping, healing and reading, slowing down occasionally to ask for more food. Finally she came back down to normal time and decided she had left her hostess long enough.

_There needs to be a kindness on my behalf to balance hers._ Blane decided, not wanting to shock her hostess, she dressed in the clothes that were put out for her. Blane mentally set herself up to accept whatever task was necessary to make it balance, be it good or bad.

Not attempting to be silent, but she wasn't noisy either. She stepped out of the room to see the old woman resting her head back, her eyes closed. She knew Artimis had sharp hearing when she looked up at her with a smile.

"Feeling better I see. Sorry had to say it, reminds me of old westerns." The old woman stated, pushing herself up to a seated position.

Now moving with a balanced grace toward the foot of the bed, she stopped, holding herself in a completely different carriage than she had this entire ordeal. It was that of one equal to or higher than Artimis, not the subservient stance she had been taking. She now wore her power on her sleeve, but not in a manner that flaunted it, but simply announced its presence. She looked Artimis in the eyes, as one does when they are asserting their place; not aggressive, but not passive, just powerful.

Artimis sat there calmly, looking at her with a smile still on her face and seemingly waiting for either Blane to reply or to make her own statement .Trying to convey the serious nature of her debt through her connected vision with Artimis, she spoke with the Bardic Voice #1 to help Artimis to find what her actual desire in order to answer the question she was about to ask.

"I am not a Djinn, but what do you truly want?" Blane spoke in all seriousness and Artimis giggled at her. Blane could see amusement in her eyes, but not from the question, but at a amusing thought. Artimis was silent and seemingly pondering on what she had been asked.

"As much as I seem strong, I know I am not going to be here forever. If there was one thing I could say I truly want, it would be to protect my family. They are, after all, the biggest part of what I will leave behind... Man, that sounded so wise and clever." Artimis mused aloud to herself.

_That actually was very wise and clever She sounds like what a grandmother should sound like .I wonder if they have 'Grandma 101'. I can do this, now I know why I'm here, her shadows had need of me. This is a powerful geas I am being asked to carry out, but it is right._

Even though Blane was having a large string of thoughts, she simply answered.

"That, I can do."

Gathering her magic to change her clothing, while unfurling her wins to their full span, giving Artimis a glance of what she truly was before pulling her wings back to rest on her shoulders. She changed the borrowed clothes to match those the small giants had worn earlier: black dress pants, a white button up shirt, dark shoes and her wings folded to look like a cloak. She made sure she had a hat to hide her horns and her bi-colored hair._ The spell needed to bind this to her and all she has chosen as family will require some things. Blood, soul energy, the tears of joy and of pain. I will have to trace her whole life to find these things, all the way from the beginning to now and beyond._ _If I make the protection too strong her family will not have a life, she seems very controlling but there is only a little fear of her personally, I've been wrong before, I do not wish to misjudge her. I will let her know what I will not do, if she complains about what I owe her, then maybe I can convince her to take money or jewels instead. _She noticed that 'Grandma Artimis' looked at her with a hint of recognition and at that point, she spoke, the power of her voice flowed, as if music filling the room."My life to you I do owe, of this debt I will gladly pay. By this act, I now do, my debt to you will be repaid in full. But know, I cannot give them protection from all of life's pains, to do so would take their will to strive, that I **will not** do. Understand now, the protection I am willing, to give to those you love, will not stop their deaths. It **will** help them find away to protect themselves. Is this still what you truly want?"

Artimis didn't even hesitate, "Yes," Blane smiled slightly _Aaa I did not misjudge her,_ as she turned towards the door, and began to walk, twisted sideways following the bright lifeline back to its beginning.

* * *

_This was Written by Shadows and her mother, with later insertion of other sister...  
Enjoy...  
Toodles,  
Deep Shadows  
And MotheroftheHorde_


	2. Ch 1 Pt 2 Twilight

Alternate Endings  
Chapter 1  
_From Dusk to a Different Dawn  
By: Deep Shadows & MotheroftheHorde_

****

Part 2 - Twilight

* * *

_Two hundred and twenty three years in the past..._

"I HATE YOU!" Miranda screamed at him as another contraction ripped through her. Severus stood, holding her hand as the mid-wife prepared for the birth of the child that could be his. Miranda's husband was once again in Germany, sending his condolences that he could not be with his wife during this special time. Severus and Miranda had been back together for almost three years, her husband never knowing. Her son, was actually her husband's as well, but for a time, they were unsure and with this child they had decided to not find out.

"Breath, in, out." Severus spoke calmly, this not being the first time he had been with her as she gave birth. She glared at him as she hissed her breath out.

"I AM BREATHING!"

"Alright, Push." The mid-wife stated and Severus prepared to have his hand wrenched off by her. She grunted and hollered as she pushed and Severus couldn't help but feel a little guilty since he was almost sure this was his fault. After at least what he counted four pushed there was a very audible child crying and a very tired Miranda lying on the bed. He was only able to count up to four because at that point he was more worried about losing his hand than counting. The child was passed off to a helper to be cleaned and once that was done, Severus was holding a dark haired girl in his arms. It was a hard emotion, adoration and worry, but he didn't like to think of those things at the moment. He passed her off to her mother who promptly looked at her and said "Artimis." Severus smiled slightly, wondering if he should make himself scarce because once Lord Callabella knew 'his' next child was born he would have to make an appearance. Deciding to leave, he kissed Miranda on the head and nodded politely to the mid-wife's dark-skinned assistant.

--------------------------

Smiling, Blane took away the birth bloodied cloths as the first stage of Artimis's life began.

--------------------------

Somewhere in time and space **Author snickers** in a well stocked alchemy lab.

Blane stood at a table, a chalice full of molten glass to one side and the cloths she had collected from the birth of Artimis. Separating the clothes into two piles, she used her magic on one of them, focusing everything from the birthing: pain, joy, guilt, relief, fear, the blood, and the extra life force of birth, pooling it all into a single droplet, setting it into the stone she had gone back to get. It was a part of the original darkness, before the 'let there be light' part of time, and as such it absorbed everything, emotions, substances, energy and magic. She placed the droplet in the stone to start the spell. The second pile of the bloody cloths were cleaned by calling forth everything into the chalice. Now that she had started it would only have to get other components from the most important and powerful moments in Artimis's life. The stone would go into the hilt of the sword Artimis would carry into battle.

--------------------------

****

Artimis at age 7 -- The worst day of her life...

The end of the day. She could finally go home and play with her sister and color. She and her older brother were walking home from her friends house with her house elf nanny, Tabby.

Almost falling backwards to look to the top of the house, she noticed there seemed to be green fireworks.

"Look Apollo, fireworks that move." Artimis stated, holding her brother's hand.

"I don't like snakes." He stated as he pulled her toward the door to the house. When Artimis walked in she felt cold, and there was weird noises coming from upstairs.

"Apollo, where's mummy?" She asked and he silenced her, holding his finger to his lips. Artimis, scared for reasons unknown to her, she fled toward the stairs, wanting to get to her mother's bedroom. Her brother, called for her, but didn't seem to follow her as she took the stairs two at a time. Artimis noticed the door was open so she threw it open and shrieked in fear. There were things going on that she couldn't understand, so horrific that she froze. Her mother was surrounded by black cloaked figures as she lay on the floor, seemingly in pain. She was crying and Artimis went to run to her. Ignoring the sounds of the people around her, she got to her mother, crying as she noticed that her oldest sister was lying on the floor next to, seemingly not moving.

"Mummy?" She spoke and her mother looked at with fear on her eyes. She moved her lips to speak as another word was spoken from dark cloaked figures. Artimis was suddenly off her feet and thrown back out the door by a spell. Scared, mad, and not really knowing what to do, Artimis screamed and ran once again to her mother. If she was with her mother, she was safe, no one could hurt her if she was with mother. Her mother shook her head and seemed to be trying to urge Artimis the other direction, but Artimis got to her side and then began yelling at the black cloaked figures to get away from her mother and to stop it. Her reply was laughter, and once voice echoed above the rest. If it hadn't of been evil laughter, it would have been the kind of laughter her father did, proud and loud and flowing like water, except it was evil laugher at a very bad situation. Her mother made a strange sound and Artimis turned to see her coughing and spitting up blood. And a few moments later, her mother stopped moving. That was when Artimis was really mad. She knew her mother was hurt and they had done it to her. She got up and walked up a person in the dark cloaks who was close to the door, like he was trying to get away too and she looked up at him.

"I am going to watch you die." She hissed, angry, upset and wanting to know why they were doing this to her mother. She was going to go back to her mother at as a hand grabbed hold of her arm. It was her father's hand as he yanked her out of the room, the figures disappearing and fleeing as a grand fatherly looking figure and some ministry people rushed in. Artimis began thrashing and crying and screaming to get back to her mother. She knew that if she wasn't with her mother something bad would happen. After a few moments Artimis was released and she ran to her mother, she was coughing and wheezy and Artimis could barely hear her speak.

"I love you sweetheart." She whispered and Artimis looked at her, holding her hand close to her chest.

"I love you to mummy." Artimis cried and her mother smiled at her, reaching up to turn her to look at her.

"Listen to me darling. Fear doesn't make you weak, it makes you cautious. Never forget that, My Artimis." She whispered, her voice faltering as she spoke. She laid her head back and sighed loudly, but then she didn't breath in again. Crying, she looked at her father and her brother who look horrified, and then she screamed, burying her face in her mother's blouse, trying to get her to wake back up. Her father grabbed her around the waist and picked her up and Artimis kicked and screamed. Artimis looked in horror as people began to pick up her mother and sister, a dark skinned woman cleaning up the blood her mother had spit and coughed up. It was that day she vowed that every person who had been involved with the cause of her mothers death would die and she would be there to watch.

(Snape Point of view here**_ Deep Shadows Squees_**)

He was glad for the mask, it would hide his tears. The only bloody time he would be glad and hated the mask at the same time. _Could I save her?_ He asked himself and he realized that it would be disastrous and he would die as well. _But why must I watch? They know this is torture._

Severus stood tensely by the door waiting for someone to show up and save the day, to rescue Miranda. He knew he couldn't and she knew he couldn't, but he prayed that Andres would come home. Then he heard footsteps and thanks the lords until he saw who it was that threw open the door. Artimis, a lanky little excuse for a seven year old was there. _Seven, she's seven already. She's so big._ He thought sorrowfully and then his attention was turned to what she was doing. She fearlessly dove through the deatheaters, sitting at her mother's side.

"Mummy?" The raven-haired child spoke and Severus cringed as he watched his love look up at her daughter with fear etched in her face. He could feel the look reaching him as well, as if pleading him to at least get Artimis out. Severus tried to think of what to do and then he grabbed his wand, muttering a spell that threw Artimis out of the room and into safety, so he hoped. Still wracking his brain for a way to save Miranda, he was better knowing Artimis was safe. He was suddenly shocked when he heard a scream and the small body came blaring past him and he was unable to move to catch her arm to stay her. There was a chill in the room and he himself was a bit worried beyond what he had already been, If he couldn't move, he couldn't get her out of here. He could see the pleading look on Miranda's face as she tried to urge her daughter out, but the child would not listen. Artimis, seemingly fearless began telling the deatheaters to leave her mother alone and to get out and that they would be in big trouble if they didn't. The other deatheaters simply laughed at her and that moment would now become even more so an event etched in his memory. Miranda began to choke on her own blood, he imagined her lungs were almost full now by the way she was breathing and Artimis took on look at her and then locked eyes with his. His very being froze as she stood and marched up to him, her normally blue eyes solid black.

"I am going to watch you die." She said but the words coming out of her mouth was not in the voice of a child, but with the full grown vengeance of an adult hell-bent on his death. He would have quivered with fear if could have moved. He could feel a coldness creeping up his legs and he wasn't to sure what kind of magic this child was wielding, but he was almost sure that because he was a coward and did not save Miranda, the child, who was more than likely his own daughter was going to slowly kill him for revenge. As those thoughts cross his mind, Artimis was suddenly snatched from his vision and he could move. He first movement was to escape and with a mournful glance at the barely breathing Miranda he dissapparated, praying that they could save her. Landing back in his hovel, as he like to think of fit, he swallowed the knot of dread when he realized that the small girl he had just left had made a death threat on him and he was almost sure she intended to keep it.

-------------------------------

Back to the lab **Author snickers againThe labs owner was busy getting younger while helping a young man create a kingdom**...

Blane very carefully added the blood from Artimis's mother and sister, and the tears from Artimis's soiled handkerchief into the chalice. Blane had to be very careful not to add her own tears to it, because it was very hard to watch something like that happen and choose to do nothing about it. That was the hardest part, of her ability to 'twist and travel' in time and space because it hurts less to watch something and not be able to do anything about it, then it is to watch knowing you can do something, and choose not to help. Any changes would start an alternate life and she had made the promise to the one she had met..

Blane continued to metaphorically turn the pages of Artimis's life, gathering bits here and there to add to the strength of the spell. She gathered the clothes from her first menstruation, the tears of joy following her first kiss and the sheets from when she lost her maidenhood. Watching as Artimis developed through out her life, she found that Artimis's shadows, even though for the first part of her life were tied to her emotions, they slowly became controlled by her. They helped to tie her to her best friend, a white haired seer named Alexis. The shadows had kept them alive, even when everything else said they should have been dead. It was her shadows that kept her from being burned alive by Alexis, and her shadows that led Alexis back to her when she became lost in her animagus form in the woods. Blane collected the blood from all their fights, and the tears from both their laughter and their sorrows

It did not shock her that Alexis's ability to wield fire, which due to her extreme nature and anger, made Artimis's shadows take a stronger hold. At one point, they had tried to take over, but Artimis showed her will power off by controlling instead of being controlled.

As Artimis grew up, her dangers in life seemed to grow. Blane noticed that danger, blood, sadness, and death seemed to followed the young woman most of her life. She watched on the sidelines as Artimis burned her own father at his funeral pyre, taking care to gather the tears from Artimis and some of the ashes that had both Artimis and her father's blood. Shortly after that was when Artimis let go of her control for the first time and she let her shadows completely destroy a building and all with in it. The shadows possessed her for sometime after that and Artimis had to fight them or else she would have killed her family in one fell blow, but the Artimis Blane had met succeeded. There was another loop in time though, where Artimis did not fight back and killed the one she seemed to love the most, her friend Alexis. Blane left that loop alone not wanting to muddle the spell.

In the house where Blane had first appeared, there was a room that absorbed powerful magic so it could not harm the household and this room was chosen as a secondary power source for the spell. There were runes that kept the magic circulating until it faded, but Blane added one rune that drained a little bit of magic to feed the spell she was weaving.

One of the times where Blane had problems controlling her desire to help and not interfere was in what Artimis' generation referred to as The Final Battle. It was this battle where the villain of Artimis' time was defeated by being turned into stone that was shattered into four pieces. Two of those pieces were entrusted to Artimis's family and the house gladly gave up one of its stones to her with a little asking.

Blane had found something amusing about the house, it was very intent on its family survival and any person intent on helping had things done for them. Blane once thought she was going to have to fight with the door to get the stone of Voldemort, but the door simply and silently opened, even though Blane knew very well it had been locked. She was almost sure the house elves, who seemed completely in tune with the house, had done something to gain her this favor.

Blane added Voldemort as a detector of sorts, because evil knew evil, and Voldemort was very evil so he would recognize threats to the family. Blane hoped Artimis's family would soften the wounded soul, freeing it from its pain, making it part of a true family for the first time in its existence.

Continuing on Artimis's life she gathered the cloths bloodied from her first child's birth and the tears of joy from her wedding.

The next major section of Artimis's life were her teaching years, years filled with joy, sadness and pride. Blane added to the molten glass all the tears, sweat, and the emotions that got fueled in to it. She added the jacket of her mentor, which was used instead of cloths when she had her son. Many hardships fell her family, as well as several joys occurred in the years that followed.

The best joy seemed to come from her family's camping trips and her greatest sorrow came when she had to turn her nephew in to prison for his evil deeds, when her best friend, who had come to be a sister to her, could not.

One thing that was constant as time passed on, Artimis's internal structure never seemed to change. It was always family first, then herself, then the world, but she never lost her humor, it seemed to keep her sane. She was as humor filled as a teenager as was the woman Blane had met with the laugh lines etched in her face. When Alexis killed herself, Artimis didn't seem so much sad as she seemed shaken. Blane collected far less tears from that then she would have guessed, but she had heard Artimis and Alexis speak of Alexis's planned death before it occurred.

Artimis did cry for many nights when her husband died and those tears too were added, as well as the bits of hair Artimis had pulled out in her frustration. That was another time when Artimis almost lost control, but once again she overcame.

After adding all the components she needed to complete the spell, she was ready to return what she had removed to it's rightful owner.

* * *

_Yet Another Segment of this story...  
You know this was only supposed to be a one shot...  
Hate it and love it when that happens..._

_Toodles,  
Deep Shadows  
and MotheroftheHorde_


	3. Ch 1 Pt 3 A Different Dawn

Alternate Endings  
Chapter 1  
_From Dusk to a Different Dawn  
By: Deep Shadows & MotheroftheHorde_

Part 3 - A Different Dawn

* * *

By: Deep Shadows & MotheroftheHorde 

Artimis lay in her bed, surrounded by family, friends and the people who thought she liked and hoped they were in her will. The mood was that of somber waiting and she hated it. They were all acting like she was dying.

Well I am, but still, the only people have some cheer are the people who think they are in my will but aren't. Man, Selena's brother-in-law is going to get a shock... Artimis thought, as she shifted, wishing she could take this blasted heart monitor off.

Melody and Song were both sitting by her bed, Song with a cup and Melody monitoring everything. Her children's families were there, her daughter Selena was sitting on her bed holding her hand while her son Lucas was sitting at the foot of the bed. They were taking among themselves, telling stories which she would jump in and correct. She did not take on a whole band of Deatheaters by herself, just half.

At the thought of Deatheaters Artimis caught a glimpse of a dark cloaked figure. _Ah ha, I do get to go down fighting!_ Artimis thought as she lashed her hand out for her wand, sitting up and mumbling loudly.

"Deatheater."

After sitting up, she noticed the dark cloak figure had a sickle, and he was leaning against the wall reading book. Her whole family was either focused on her or on the spot on the wall were she said there was someone standing.

"Oh, it's just Death, that's ok." She stated, setting her wand back down much to the relief of her family. Laying back on her comfortable pillows, she scanned the room through the now throughly bemused crowd. She noticed a black skinned woman also standing against a far wall, opposite the now recognized Death. Artimis had the faintest feeling of deja vue at the sight of the woman but didn't wish disturb those awaiting her death. Relaxing, Artimis closed her eyes, the sitting up like that had taken quite a bit of energy, more than she expected.

She could feel everything slowing down and she exhaled, feeling herself letting go just a bit but then she came right back up.

"By the way," Everyone sat back suddenly and her daughter hiccuped in an effort to hold back a sob. "at my wake, I want the good wine out, I want all of you drunk and I want all the stories of me and Alexis to be bastardized because you cant remember your own name, let alone the date of the final battle, am I clear?" Artimis demanded and her whole family who had seemed to start weeping, looked up in shock. All of them nodded under the fierce glare she was leveling at them. Again she relaxed for a moment only to snap her eyes open again. "Oh and none of that crying, get happy or something. Lucas, turn on some music, a person could die from the silent mourning going on in here." Artimis spoke, leaning back and resting her head.

She slowed again and she knew she felt her heart skip as a light kept shining at her. Snapping her head back up, causing her daughter to roll her teary eyes in amazement at her mother's sheer will to annoy everyone.

"And you know what, if I don't get a proper burning I will haunt you people until I do, and I think I can out wait you!" At this most of the younger generation started wailing, and not a few of the older. "No, don't cry small ones, grandma gets to go eat as much as she wants and never get fat." Artimis chuckled, gaining laugher from a majority of the room. She thought she could hear a snicker from the book reader, though not sure what caused it, her comment or the book With a finial smile to her family, she felt her heart genitally stop as she exhaled for the last time. She couldn't feel anything but relief as she stood up out of her body. There was a bright light above, a glowing pit below and what she knew as the option the roam the world as a ghost of sorts.

"MAN! I die and still have to make all the decisions!" Artimis mused, standing there not as an old woman now, but in her glory as a young adult, her prime state. Her black hair was once again in its braid, the end resting just at the small of her back. She could move with the grace of her youth. Standing there in a pair of loose dress slacks, a green button up shirt, and her green and silver scarf, she looked down at herself in amazement, her body looked old, and it was wearing a necklace, bringing her hand to her throat, she realized her necklace wasn't there.

The cloaked figure moved easily though the crowed room to stand next to her, the sickle in one hand and an hourglass in the other the book was tucked under the arm. The hooded figure looked at the hourglass with a nod to her, and made a sweeping motion with the sickle by her feet, disconnecting a silvery cord from her and her body. She was going to dwell for a minute that her daughter was showing such sadness over dying when someone else walked up.

Artimis turned around and looked at the black-skinned woman, a light bulb going on literally above her head, because well she was dead and she wanted a bloody lightbulb!

"I know you. You're the woman who fell through my wall. Blane." Artimis spoke more to herself than Blane while pointing at her and giggling at the fact that she finally got the lightbulb.

Blane held a cup in one hand and a black ball in the other.

"Do you want to stay for the wake?" Blane asked and Artimis smirked.

" Are you allowed to drink while your dead?"

"Of course, you're a spirit hehe.. We'll talk while we walk." The last part coming out in a serious tone. Artimis took a moment to do a victory dance before she realized what Blane had said and then followed her.

They moved through the house, down toward the room where the party would be. As they walked the world seemed top go by on fast forward, except the picture and the house elves, who either bowed to her or waved their cordial goodbye.

"Is that normal?" Artimis asked, gesturing to the fact that they could see her.

Blane looked at them and nodded. "For them."

Artimis stood by and watched her wake, amused at the fact that even as a dead person they still listened to her. They were drunk and messing up very time honored stories and some of Artimis's fondest memories. The whole reason she had wanted them to be this way was for the laughter, if she had to be sent off she would rather laughter than tears, she had cried enough to last her a life time plus, she needed to hear joy as a send off.

Artimis look down at her former body, noticing that it still had her necklace on. Artimis set her wine glass down, reaching to her former body and took the necklace off.

"It's my bloody necklace. You can't take it with you." Artimis stated, removing it and putting it on her own neck. Artimis looked to see Tabby, who had been assisting with something for the party looked at her with a smile and nodded at her with that all-knowing elf nod. Artimis, content now, went back to drinking and commenting to Blane about how they were totally setting the stories askew.

Artimis had a grand time at her own wake, using the hand from her dead corpse as a cup holder.

She turned as Blane inhaled to speak.

"You once said that your truest desire was to protect your family, is that still holding true now?" Blane asked her with all seriousness. Artimis had a feeling this was another one of those wise moments, but she didn't think to long because she didn't want to spent eternity trying to seem wise.

"Yes, they were what I lived for. The thing is that I can't do it all myself, even as a ghost or an angel watching over them, they can still be hurt, and I don't want that for them. Not saying that a little pain never did any good, but I can bear for them to be in harms way like I always was." Artimis spoke, looking over her loved ones as she spoke.

"If they are to truly be safe they would have no power, they would have no lives, power attracts danger. So do you wish them to be safe or to have lives. If they have the power to get themselves out of trouble, they have power to get into it, and the mind to make decisions right or wrong. Which do you want for them?" Blane asked and Artimis looked at her, this time not having to pretend to think.

"I don't want to cage them up, if that how I'm perceiving what you are asking. I want them protected, but not so much that they can not live free. A tiger in a cage can never see the sun, it's one of my favorite lines from a song." Artimis mused, the last part more to herself than Blane. Artimis never knew that dying wasn't the end, you had more to decided about later.

Blane handed her the chalice, which was smoldering hot in her hands and she could feel the heat as real as she would have in life. Blane also handed her the black ball which was colder than anything she had ever felt, the kind of cold that would have made her shiver deep down in her bones.

"Put them together." Blane spoke and Artimis got that there was a greater power at work than her or her witty humor. Blane then changes her focus to not at Artimis but above her.

Blane spoke once more, but Artimis got the feeling she wasn't talking to her.

"Do you also choose to this course of action. If this is done you will be bound to this family heart and soul until the light once again fades."

Artimis turned to see whom she was talking to and it was a shadow Artimis. It stood a bit taller than her and had a more imposing stance, but Artimis knew who it was immediately. Looking at it filled her with the same powerful feeling she had every time she used her shadows. She didn't have a name for who it was but she knew who or what it was. Artimis watched as the shadows wrapped its hand around her own hand, her feeling the coolness of it's touch. She knew that it was a sign of agreement.

As Artimis went to move the ball into the chalice the world flashed past her and she found herself standing straddling her own corpse on the funeral pyre. Her daughter, who thankfully hadn't drank that much at the wake, was standing just a few feet from her. Artimis glanced around, seeing her family in various states of drunkenness, giggles over a story or two or crying softly in sorrow.

Artimis placed the ball in the chalice and it melted in it. It began to shake and pull at her as she held on to the chalice with both hands. Her pyre had just been lit and she could see that everything froze. She stood there over her own dead body, shaking as all the shadows darted forward to the chalice. She watched as her own shadow from behind poured in. As the shadows came forward they didn't mold together, but stayed separate as their own entities. Artimis could feel herself being pulled into the chalice too, and it felt just like when the shadows had tried to take her over. It took all of her will to not become one with the spell, because she recognized it for what it was, but she knew that if she did she would lose herself. After what felt like a long time, all the shadows had poured in, making everything one dimensional. Then there was an explosion from the chalice, the shadows moving back out at great speeds back to the person they belonged to. Artimis knew it was only a second, but everyone went back to looking normal, accept Artimis could see just a little bit more in everyone's shadow, a conscieness of sorts.

Artimis looked up into her daughter's tear-rimmed eyes and smiled as she saw the shadows receding from her irises. _That's my girl._ She thought as she stood back, see the fact that everything below her was gone, the fire having exploded with the power from the spell and she knew that a part of her physically was with everyone she loved. It was comforting to know that even in death, she knew they would be as ok as they could be without her.

She looked to Blane with a smile. "You just did what I asked you to, didn't you?"

"The debt to be paid is now paid?" Blane spoke in a serious tone of voice. Then she pulled off her hat and threw it up in the air with a loud shout of happiness. Her clothing rippled a bit and then she was wearing a red tank-top, jeans, and green high top sneakers. Then she pulled, out of mid-air, various weaponry, strapping two really long swords to her back and then placing daggers here and there.

"Time to travel." She spoke in a more relaxed tone she said as she pulled a backpack on. She pulled out a hair band with horns on it and she pulled her hair up, making it look like she had a five horned head band. Artimis watched with a sort of awe, after all, its not everyday you get to watch this stuff while being dead. Before speaking she actually looked at the person she had just decided to volunteer to go with. She was at least a foot and half taller than Artimis, with amber eyes. The eyes were what had reminded her of when she had met her only a few years ago. Her hair, while pulled up, still was two colors, the front half was white and straight and the back black and curly. Blane wasn't brown though, like people who were called black, she was actually black, actually coal-colored. She was long, tall and built like Artimis. She figured that if it came to contest of flexibility, Blane would most likely beat her, but it would probably be close.

Artimis thought for a moment on her options for after death and found she was going to get bored fast. Smiling, she looked at Blane and asked.

"Where we going?"

Blane crossed her arms and looked down at her with a serious expression but one eyebrow was doing the Snape thing, as she questioned.

"Who's we, White man?"

Artimis smirked as she looked at her, more like looking up at the seven foot two woman.

"Have you seen my options? Be bored in heaven, be bored as a ghost, be Emo and bored in hell, sounds like it would be more fun to follow you."

Blane nodded in understanding, looking at her with eyebrow still chocked.

"Ok, but it gets boring around me too." She stated and Artimis smiled at her.

"That's alright. Two bored people are more fun than one." Artimis looked at Blane who took a moment and looked at her hard.

"Seriously, you want to come?" She asked her voice changing becoming thicker and more vibrant it pulled the truth out of her. Artimis nodded.

"Oh, okay, but it will hurt, you would be 'alive' sort of. " Blane's voice returning to normal as put her hand out.

Artimis, understanding the nonverbal cue, gave Blane her hand. Blane pulled out a dagger and laid it between their palms. Then looking her directly in the eyes, she asked one more time "Do you truly want to do this?"At the nod of agreement, she slid it out of their palms, cutting deeply into both hands and Artimis gasped at the sudden pain, but no blood flowed from her wound. The only blood was Blane's. Blane's hand tightened on hers,.power flared over them both, and a greenish light flowed from Blane into their clasped hands. Blane shuddered closing her eyes, not wanting to show her pain. Energy crackled and Artimis felt the need to breath, fire rushed down her throat exploding in her stomach filling her with warmth. Blane fell to one knee, still holding on to her hand. There was no sense of time, just the flow of warmth that slow trickled to a stop Blane let go of her hand and sat, gasping, sweating and shaking in reaction. Artimis looked at her hand there was no cut, just blood and she felt heavier, more real. She looked around to find herself in a desert, the night sky lit up by more stars than she had ever seen. With a nod, Blane picked her self up and started walking, Artimis turned to look over her shoulder she could see unbroken sand glowing in the starlight, as far as her eyes could see. Blane's prints started next to her, and followed behind the walking woman. With a shrug, Artimis moved, quick stepping foward, falling in step with Blane. And together they walked on.

Talk about an afterlife... Artimis mused as she walked.

* * *

_This is the last part of Chapter 1...  
But...  
Theres a feww more Chapters coming and there will probably (not promising) an update next week...  
Toodles,  
Deep Shadows  
and MotheroftheHorde_


	4. Ch 1 point 5

**_Alternate Endings  
_Chapter Jump 1.5  
_Letting go of the Shadows and the Past  
_**_By: Deep Shadows (With Commentary and help from MotherofTheHorde and Autumnwings)_

* * *

_She's gone… She's really not coming back…_ Selena mused, sitting in the living room of the house she grew up in, looking at the portrait above the fireplace. It was crowded once, so crowded that Selena's mother, Artimis, had ordered before her death to have it stretched along the twenty-foot wall. Since that had been done it seemed empty now. She looked up loving at her Uncle Severus, who was sitting in a chair in the portrait reading a book as he pushed his dark gray hair out of his face. Her own mother and father were resting together in a corner, her father holding her mother tightly to him. It amazed her that even with their deaths the portrait still had them in it. The whole of the original family members of Manor Dela Loyalty were there, though her mother was the last to be alive. It was heart wrenching to see the smiles on their faces, but it was also comforting. Even though she would never hear her mother's voice again, she would always see her smile.

At that moment her own visage caught her eye, she and her husband Christoph chasing down their three grandchildren. It was hard to imagine herself now Grandmother in the form in which her own mother had been. Looking away from the portrait that held to many memories, she glanced at the other wall. The piano, the very one that her mother once played her to sleep with sat in the corner. Above it hung Aunt Alexis's violin, the beautiful instrument having not been taken off the wall since Aunt Alexis last touched it. Deciding that this room was just too much for her at the moment with all of it's memories, she walked out into the foyer, mindlessly heading to her mother's library. Upon entry she felt calmer and soothed; this room always felt like a warm embrace from her mother and it still smelt like her. Her desk sat untouched near the back wall, her sword 'Umbra de Triste' hanging over the mantel place to the side, next to it her aunt's heirloom nunchukus hanging on a golden hook. Each of the weapons had plates below them, signifying the things that had been achieved by the two women with them. Both her mother and her aunt had thought of it one day and decided to put it up in their own memory.

Her mother's sword seemed to call to her. Walking toward the fireplace, she lifted her hand and pulled it from its place on the wall. The handle was cool to the touch, but it didn't seem right, like there was something missing. Picking it up with both hands, she held it in front of her, in a pose her mother had used very often. The handle actually was warming up in her hands, something it had never done before. The sword was always cold to everyone, her mum being the only person who it didn't seem to affect. Her mother had always said that a person's weapon choose them, not the other way around. Selena had never felt that way about her bladed fans, they were just hers and she was in no way attached to them like her mother had been to hers. The sword in her hands did not feel like her mother's and that increased the weight gnawing at her chest. She let the tears silently slip down as she placed the disenchanted sword back on its holders. _Maybe her soul was tied to her sword and when she left, the feeling in the sword did…_ Selena thought as she decided some fresh air would do her good, and maybe let her accept the fact that all she had of her mother now was memories, a moving portrait and soulless sword.

Stepping outside she could see her daughter and her grandchildren playing tag in the front yard. It was normal, too normal for her tastes in this somber mood she was in, but she would have to get used to going back to normal life. Life without caring for her mother as her mother did for her, life where a shadow on the wall was not a warning to behave from her mother but just a plain old shadow. She rubbed her palm, the cut from her mother's pyre healed but the mark it left on her emotionally was still there. Her three-year-old grandson, Brandon, was rushing away from everyone else, chasing his bouncy ball toward the road. Selena noticed he was running that direction and called for him to be careful and to not go into the road. He yelled back that he would be cautious and continued on, making a beeline along the side of the road. She turned to see her granddaughters having a tea party on a blanket and smiled, walking that direction. It was just then that she heard the sound of a speeding car roaring down the road. She didn't know why, but her instincts went haywire and she turned to see Brandon just about to dart into the road into the path of the car. Beginning to rush in that direction, calling for him stop, she darted around confused family members. Brandon was a few steps away when she froze, not believing what her eyes were seeing. His shadow seemed to waver and move, reaching up and wrapping around his ankle, causing him fall to the ground and his head hit the grass just before the concrete of the road. With her heartbeat in her ears, she rushed forward, grabbing the crying child up in her arms holding him close.

_There was no way that could have happened…Unless…Mum's still here!…_

Brandon, bawling, held on to his grandmother as she rocked him, whispering to him that it would be ok.

_Thank you mum… Thank you… _She thought, thanking her mother for being the protector to the family she had been in life even during her death. Only her mother could have controlled the shadows like that, and that meant her mother was still watching over them in some form. Standing up and holding Brandon to her, she felt relieved as she handed him off to his mother, a smile forming on her face because she knew that they all probably had a guardian angel.

---------------------------

**Several years later…**

Selena was clearing up the mess her brother's children had made of her mother's old room. No one had really occupied the room since her mother died, Selena occasionally slept in there when she wanted to remember how her mother smelt. The boys, who did not have permission to be in there, had been trying to brew their own batch of potions to turn their sister green, and it failed miserably, leaving two very upset green boys and one very mad Selena. Her husband had just left the room with the shards of the glass from the vials and she was mopping up the rest of the concoction that had spilled on the floor. She was just standing up when there was a loud crash through the wall and what she could only describe as a beast was standing there. It reminded her of one of the stories her mother once told her of the woman and her hunter bursting through her wall, but Selena had never really believed it until now. Acting on instinct, she pointed her wand at the eyeless beast and yelled a curse to immobilize it. What frightened her was that the spell simply bounced off of it and hit the wall behind it.

_Oh boy… This doesn't look good…_ She thought as the beast raked a clawed limb toward her. It caught her on her shoulder, raking across her chest and sending her flying onto the bed. She was bleeding badly and called out for help as it rooted around on the floor, obviously looking for something. Suddenly, the house elves armed with their own sort of weaponry, appeared much to her glee, but just as they did the thing spoke a word and they disappeared out.

"Oh crap." She thought as she heard pounding on the door from the other side and the yelling from her husband. The beast or whatever it was, turned from the floor and set its eyeless gaze on her, making her shiver as it moved toward her with deadly intent. Reaching a claw out, it hit the bed solidly, making the frame simply crumble down into nothing. Another claw aimed for her came and Selena began fearing for her life.

Just before the blow touched her, something snapped inside of her. The room suddenly turned black as she willed the beast to stop from deep within herself. She could feel everything freeze in its place, her clothing pushing off from her body as power leapt from her. She was covered in a darkness so black, it made the shadows seem gray in comparison. There was an ever burning anger just within her chest, along with an attitude of 'I don't think so', and she moved forward to the beast. All her fear was gone as she placed her hand on its head. Its energy and everything with it just dissipated. It was completely gone the second she touched it with her hand. Standing there, in wait for something else to attack her, she could see the shadows putting things as they should be, how they were before the beast entered. After a moment, she could slowly feel the darkness waning, giving way to the light from the windows. Just as the last of the shadows flowed back into her, did the door burst open, her two auror grandsons and her daughter standing there with a look of worry and seemingly prepared to take down anything in their was. She turned her head to them and gave them a calm smile.

"Don't worry dears, Grandmother took care of it." And with that she collapsed softly to the floor in the completely repaired room.

Her daughter, Lena, had no idea what she should do. Her mother had just looked at her with the eyes that her Grandmother once had, solid black with no color at all and she was in her Grandmother's room, stark nude, when moments before she had left her mother completely clothed. Not willing to question anything, she ushered the boys out and went to her mother, covering her with a blanket from the bed.

"I wonder if the shadows weren't just Grandma Artimis's, but a part of our bloodline." She spoke as the house elves entered, looking ready to fight but then hurriedly exiting the room. The house all of a sudden didn't seem as tense, like the air had cleared of something she hadn't noticed before. Shrugging, she called in her father to come take care of her mother, who was just waking up.

The house made a soft groan as everything seemed to settle, the house no longer having to be in charge of the safety of the family as the new head of the family FINALLY came into her own power.

--------------

Artimis was with Blane at a concert where the mud was up to their ankles and the music was mostly about love. They were in the back of a van, helping a girl with long blonde hair with a tye-dye headband give birth. Artimis was busy making an herbal rub to go on the mother's stomach, while Blane was being mid-wife. There were enough drugs around to make sure that the mother felt none of the pain. Going through all this with the woman, it made her think back to her own daughter's birth. She had always wondered if she had done the right thing, if it would have been better if she had stayed as ghost to watch and protect them. Yeah it would have been boring, but she would have known they were safe. She knew a part of her was always with them, but she was always the worry wort. The turmoil was also fueled by the fact that she knew she could go back if she wanted to, and at times when she was feeling homesick she wondered what would happen if she did go back.

The birth was painless for the mother as expected, Blane rubbing the antibiotic Artimis had made on the eyes of the child, so it would not go blind. In the background, the crowd was singing lines from a song being broadcast through the field.

"A time to gain, a time to lose

A time to rend, a time to sew

A time to love, a time to hate

A time for peace,

I swear its not too late" It was a soothing lullaby for the child and it made Artimis think even more about the turmoil raging in her mind.

Just as she was thinking about it all, something in the back of her mind relaxed, settling into a gentle wave of comfort. A small ball of tension in her was now gone, even though she didn't seem to know it had been there. It was as if something was right all of a sudden, and the thoughts on whether she had done the right thing or not, disappeared. It seemed to her that there was a voice telling her that everything was okay now in the back of her mind.

Blane looked at her with a smile and asked "Ready to go outside and listen?"

With a soft smile on her face, Artimis nodded as they moved out of the aged, colorfully painted auto. Climbing up the ladder on the back of a van to the top, where some people were sitting on tie-dye blankets and wearing peace signs. Artimis enjoyed the music, finally relaxed for the first time in her entire existence. There wasn't any pressure anymore to be anything but herself, whoever she wished that to be.

* * *

_**A/N:** The song is Mamas and Papas... Thats all the hint im giving as to where they were.._


End file.
